1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery pack, a battery charger, and n electronic device using the battery pack, and more particularly to plural kinds of battery packs having an optional number of battery cells accommodated therein, a battery charger capable of charging the battery packs, and electronic equipment capable of using the battery packs.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a side view showing the structure of a battery pack according to the prior art. For example, a conventional battery pack 50 has two battery cells 51 and 52 built therein, and positive electrode and negative electrode terminals 53 and 54 are positioned on both ends of a side face thereof. In charging the battery pack which is used in conjunction with electronic device, for example, a video camera with a built-in recorder, a video light and the like, only the battery pack is engaged with a battery charger. In a high capacity-type battery pack, cells have been overlapped in the thickness direction, for example, to obtain increased capacity so that the high capacity-type battery pack is engaged with both the battery charger and the electronic device.
In the conventional battery pack as, shown in FIG. 1, in order to charge the battery pack in the battery charger, the battery pack must have at least a bottom face which is of the same shape as the battery charger. Therefore, there has been a problem that the shape and capacity of the pack have neither flexibility nor expandability.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and to provide plural kinds of battery packs having an optional number of battery cells built therein, a battery charger capable of charging the battery packs and electronic device capable of using the battery packs.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a battery pack is provided which can accommodate a varying number of battery cells therein, which a spacing between the centers of the positive electrode and the negative electrode terminals which is smaller than a the width of the battery cell. Furthermore, a battery charger for charging a battery pack or, and electronic device using a battery pack are characterized by comprising a battery pack securing surface capable of securing a battery pack having at least one cell accommodated therein, an engaging member for engaging the battery pack with the battery pack securing surface, and a connecting member connected to the positive electrode and negative electrode terminals of the battery pack and disposed at such a position that charging or discharging of the battery pack can be performed.
According to the present invention, arrangement of the positive and negative electrode terminals is the same irrespective of the bottom shape of the battery pack and conforms to the arrangement of the positive and negative electrode terminals when only one cell is accommodated with the battery pack. However, in one embodiment of an alternate bottom shape of the battery pack, the shape of the battery pack can conform to the shape of the electronic device and be engaged therewith. In the electronic device, therefore, battery packs having various shapes and capacities can be used.